An escalator that injured seven when it malfunctioned at the Bellevue Square Macy's store last December had dozens of code violations, state inspectors announced Monday.

The incident occurred on Dec. 6 as a large crowd that had gathered for the holiday Snowflake Lane celebration. The injuries were minor but four of the victims, including two toddlers, were taken to a local hospital to be checked out.

A witness told KOMO News she heard a loud sound followed by a commotion near the escalator. When she went toward the noise, she saw that chunks of the escalator had fallen off.

"There were hundreds of people around here, so it was just chaos of people just walking in, going back to their cars," Nicole Johnson said.

The Department of Labor and Industries found that a loose skirt panel next to the steps snagged on the moving stairway, jamming it and breaking the escalator's chains. Because three of the escalator's safety-stop systems failed, the malfunctioning escalator shut down only when a passer-by pushed a manual stop button, inspectors said.

In the four-month investigation that followed, inspectors found 32 code violations, including 15 that were directly related to the accident. The agency found the escalator didn't get its required safety check last April and that its manufacturer, Schindler, did not do the regular maintenance and safety checks that would have prevented the accident.

Subsequent inspections of the store's three other escalators also found a number of safety violations, which were repaired before they were allowed back in service.

L&I says they will now be keeping a close eye on Schindler and will suspend or revoke their license to operate in Washington if the company fails to ensure the safety of their escalators.

"L&I will hold this company accountable for its maintenance responsibilities," Jose Rodriguez, Assistant Director for Field Services and Public Safety, said in a statement released to the press. "We are looking for a commitment from Schindler that it will do what the law requires to keep our citizens safe whenever they step onto an escalator or elevator."

The broken escalator remains out of service until all code violations can be fixed.